Phil Robertson Breaks His Silence After Controversial Remarks: "I Will Not Give or Back Off From My Path," Duck Dynasty Star Says

"I love all men and women. I am a lover of humanity, not a hater," Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson said during a Bible study group held Sunday, Dec. 22 in Louisiana.Credit: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire

Phil Robertson is not backing down. Despite the Duck Dynasty patriarch's controversial interview with GQ and subsequent suspension from the A&E smash series, the reality TV star shared during a Bible study group in West Monroe, Louisiana on Sunday, Dec. 22, "I will not give or back off from my path."

“We are a bunch of rednecks from Louisiana, but I am not uneducated, I have a degree from Louisiana Tech. But this week I have been called an ignoramus,” the Duck Dynasty star, 67, shared with the group, as reported by The Daily Mail.

“This week I have been asked, 'Is this the first time you have brought up sin?’" he recalled during the religious meeting. "I said, 'Are you kidding? I have been traveling to and fro spreading this message.' Then he said, 'Well do you invite yourself to go and get your Bible and tell people what you are now sharing with us?' I said, 'No they are inviting me.'"

Robertson added, "I love all men and women. I am a lover of humanity, not a hater." He then lead the group in prayer and shared, "I will not give or back off from my path because you conquered death, Father, so we are not worried about all the repercussions." The bearded television figure made no direct mention of A&E, which placed Robertson on hiatus from filming "indefinitely," the network told Us Weekly.

As previously reported, the duck hunter sparked controversy last week after he made several homophobic and racially-charged remarks in an interview published in the Janurary 2014 issue of GQ.

After the network placed the father of four on suspension, his family released a statement on their website in support of him. "We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm," the Robertson family wrote. "We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty."